The Beat

How Dylan Papa and Zelis Are Modernizing Healthcare Payments Through Speed, Transparency, and Trust

Episode Summary

The future of healthcare payments depends on harmonizing payers, providers, and consumers through speed, transparency, and control. In this episode, Dylan Papa, Senior Vice President of Commercial Growth for Payments Optimization at Zelis, discusses how the healthcare payments ecosystem is shifting toward deeper collaboration, improved data utilization, and a more modern financial experience for everyone involved. He explains how providers increasingly seek secure, simple, and fast transactions—and how payers benefit when data empowers both sides to reduce denials, improve forecasting, and operate with greater clarity. Dylan also outlines how new consumer expectations are pushing healthcare toward more personalized benefit designs and transparent financial interactions. Looking ahead, he shares Zelis’ vision of transforming payments from an administrative burden into a strategic asset through a unified platform that can harmonize fragmented systems, outdated technology stacks, and inconsistent treasury infrastructures. Tune in and learn how modern payment platforms are reshaping speed, transparency, and trust across the healthcare ecosystem.

Episode Notes

About Dylan Papa:

Dylan Papa is a seasoned healthcare technology executive with more than a decade of leadership experience at Zelis, where he has played a central role in driving commercial growth, transformation, and data-driven strategy. Now serving as Senior Vice President of Commercial Growth, he brings a strong track record of expanding revenue, shaping organizational direction, and guiding high-impact initiatives across the payments and cost-management ecosystem. 

Throughout his tenure, Dylan has held progressive leadership roles spanning growth and transformation, payments transformation, business insights and analytics, and business solutions—each one sharpening his expertise at the intersection of healthcare, technology, and financial operations. His career began in analytics and business development, giving him a grounded, operational understanding of the industry he now helps steer at a strategic level. 

Backed by a foundation in finance from Montclair State University, Dylan combines analytical rigor with a forward-looking mindset, making him a trusted leader in navigating complex healthcare challenges and scaling innovative solutions.

Things You’ll Learn:

• Providers increasingly want secure, simple, and expedited transactions supported by actionable data. This shift gives them more control while improving payer efficiency.
• Modernizing payments isn’t just about speed; it's about giving providers a single, transparent view of all transactions across multiple payers. This visibility helps them reduce denials, identify payment discrepancies, and forecast revenue more accurately.
• Consumer expectations for transparency and personalized benefits are pushing healthcare toward more flexible, customized models. Younger generations especially demand clearer information and greater financial control.
• Fragmentation remains the biggest obstacle in modernizing healthcare payments, from legacy tech stacks to inconsistent treasury processes. Harmonizing these systems is essential for building a seamless, end-to-end experience.
• The next frontier is transforming payments from an administrative task into a strategic asset. When speed, transparency, and control converge, every stakeholder—payer, provider, and consumer—wins.

Resources:

• Connect with and follow Dylan Papa on LinkedIn.
• Follow Zelis on LinkedIn and visit their Website.